The Rock 'N' Roll Mystery

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  When he lifted the cover, he found a keypad underneath. The buttons looked like the buttons on a telephone—each one had a number and three tiny letters on it.

  “Is this an alarm system?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Amy replied. She was a tall woman with blond hair. “We had it put in a few years ago.”

  “It must’ve been off last night,” Henry said. “If it was on and someone broke in, the alarm would’ve sounded, right?”

  The four members of the band looked at each other.

  “I figured it had been accidentally left off,” Karen said with a shrug.

  “Me, too,” Dave said. He was twirling a drumstick between two fingers.

  “No, I’m sure I turned it on when I left,” Alan told them. “That’s what I told the police.”

  Henry looked back at the keypad. “Then how could the thief have broken in without the alarm going off?”

  “Good question,” Alan replied.

  He dug through a cabinet and found the owner’s manual to the alarm system. Henry read the manual for a few minutes. He was good at reading instructions, even when they were long. Finally, Henry had it figured out. He tapped a few buttons, and the following words appeared on the little screen—

  SYSTEM ACTIVATED 10:33 PM

  “Ac-ti-va-ted? What does that mean?” Benny asked. He was still learning to read, and he loved discovering new words.

  “Turned on,” Jessie told him. “It’s when the system was turned on.”

  “So I did turn it on when I left last night,” Alan said.

  “It looks that way,” Henry said. Then he hit another button, and the screen read—

  SYSTEM DEACTIVATED 12:04 AM

  “De-ac-ti-va-ted,” Benny said. “That must mean the opposite, right?”

  “Yes,” Jessie told him. “Someone turned the system off just after midnight.”

  “That’s how they got in without setting the alarm off,” Violet added.

  “They knew the security code,” Henry pointed out. “That’s the only way they could’ve done it. They had to know the six-number code.”

  Jessie looked at the band members. “But who else knows it aside from the four of you? Anyone?”

  “Only Raymond,” Amy Keller replied. “He was the one who programmed the code. It’s ‘463534.’ Very easy for all of us to remember.”

  Benny made a face. “It doesn’t sound easy!”

  “It isn’t,” Amy told him, “until you notice that those numbers can also stand for certain letters on the keypad as well—‘GNFLD4.’”

  Benny smiled. “Oh, sure, I see now!”

  Jessie said, “Do you think … maybe Raymond had something to do with the theft?”

  Everyone in the room looked at each other.

  “He seems like such a nice person,” Violet said. “Didn’t you think so, too, Henry?”

  “Yeah, very nice,” Henry agreed.

  “Honestly,” Amy Keller said, “I don’t know him all that well. He’s been with us for a while, but he’s so quiet. I have to say I’ve wondered about him from time to time.”

  “Well, if someone in the band didn’t steal the instruments,” Karen said, “then who else could it have been?”

  No one had an answer to that.

  CHAPTER 3

  A Rival?

  The Aldens decided to return to the festival grounds to talk with Raymond. They wanted to find out if he had gone back to the rehearsal studio the night before, or if he had given the security code to anyone else.

  “Alan seems to think Raymond is totally innocent,” Violet said.

  “But the others didn’t seem as sure,” Henry reminded her.

  When the Aldens got to the stage, they quickly realized Raymond was nowhere to be found. Then the children spotted the tall thin man with the beard and the black beret. He was on his knees, working with some wires.

  “Excuse me, sir?” Henry asked. The man didn’t seem to hear at first, so Henry asked him again.

  The man looked up and smiled. “Oh, hi. Sorry I didn’t hear you. I get so involved when I’m doing electrical work. Anyway, I’m surprised to see you. I thought you’d left for the day!”

  “No, we just had to go over to the Greenfield Four’s rehearsal studio.”

  “So I guess you heard about their instruments being taken,” the man said.

  “We’re going to try to find them!” Benny said.

  “That’s terrific. Can I help?”

  “Actually, you can,” Jessie told him. “There was a person here earlier, helping out. His name was Raymond. Have you seen him?”

  “He’s their roadie, right?” the bearded man asked.

  “Yes, that’s him!” Violet replied.

  The man got to his feet and patted his forehead with a handkerchief. It was very hot, and his eyes were blinking from the bright sunlight.

  “I saw him go over there about twenty minutes ago,” he said, pointing towards the fairground’s main building. “He hasn’t come back since,” the man added.

  “Thanks,” Jessie said.

  The children had been in the main building before to see a play.

  They went through the glass doors at the front, and they found themselves standing in a huge airy lobby. On one wall, there were old posters from past events. The Greenfield Four was on a few of them, the Aldens noticed. Sometimes they were the first band listed. Other times they were second, always beneath another band called “Danny and the Duotones.”

  “I remember hearing Alan talk about that group,” Violet said. “Remember, the other night, while they were practicing?”

  Henry nodded. “He said something about how much Danny would love to play for the man from the record company.”

  “It seems like they’ve been rivals for a long time,” Violet said.

  “What is a ‘rival?’ ” Benny asked.

  “A rival is someone who wants the same thing that you do,” Jessie told her brother.

  At that moment, they heard a familiar voice—it was Raymond, in a nearby hallway, talking to someone.

  The Aldens went over there slowly, and when they peered around the corner they saw him—on a pay phone.

  “We shouldn’t be listening to his private conversation,” Jessie said.

  Henry agreed. “Let’s wait for him outside.”

  But as they turned to go, they couldn’t help overhearing Raymond say, “That’s right, it looks like the Greenfield Four will lose their big chance now.”

  Jessie held her breath. Who was Raymond talking to?

  “They don’t have anything to play with,” Raymond went on. “No guitars, no keyboards, nothing. They lost it all. Looks like you’re the one who got lucky. Will you be ready to go on in their place if they can’t get their act back together?” Raymond asked. “Yeah? Okay, good. Then I’ll be over to give you a hand in a few minutes. Bye.”

  The children hurried back outside before Raymond saw them. They watched from behind some bushes as Raymond hopped onto his bike and rode off.

  “Was he talking to someone from another band?” Jessie wondered.

  “Maybe we should get on our own bikes and see where he’s going,” Violet suggested.

  Henry nodded. “Good idea, Violet,” he replied. “Let’s go.”

  The Aldens were careful to follow Raymond from a safe distance—they didn’t want to risk having him notice them. At one point, as they passed through the center of town, he actually stopped, turned around, and waved. But he wasn’t waving at them. It was someone passing by in a car. The Aldens felt very relieved when they saw the driver wave back.

  Raymond cut through town and went into one of Greenfield’s quieter areas, with lots of large, beautiful homes. He turned onto Knickerbocker Road. When the Aldens reached the corner, they saw that he had disappeared!

  “Where’d he go?” Violet wondered, looking in every direction.

  Knickerbocker Road had tall, handsome oak trees on either side. Neighborhood children were playing on the
sidewalks, and cars were parked here and there—but there was no sign of Raymond.

  “I’m sure he went down this street,” Henry said, scratching his head. “Or did I imagine it?”

  “Well, if you did,” Jessie told him, “then we all did!”

  “Okay,” Henry replied, “then let’s keep going and see what happens. Keep your eyes and ears open.”

  They cycled on, watching and listening very carefully. But there was no sign of Raymond. Did he really just disappear?

  “Maybe he did know we were following him and hid somewhere,” Jessie suggested. “Behind a bush or a car or something.”

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Henry said. “If he’s sneaky enough to steal all those instruments without anyone knowing, then he’s probably sneaky enough to—”

  Henry’s bicycle suddenly squealed to a stop. The other three Aldens stopped right behind him. He had spotted a house with its garage door up.

  “Look!” Henry said.

  Raymond’s bicycle was parked in the driveway. But what really caught the Aldens’ attention was the open garage. Inside, the garage looked like a rehearsal studio. There was a drum kit, several keyboards, one big piano, a collection of horns, a few guitars—including one that had a very unusual design. Violet gasped when she saw that the body was painted with bright autumn leaves.

  “It’s Alan’s guitar!” she whispered in shock.

  CHAPTER 4

  One of a Kind?

  The Aldens stood in the driveway and stared at the open garage.

  “Are you sure this is one of the stolen guitars?” Henry asked Violet. Violet nodded. The children knew Violet had a good eye for details.

  “It has to be Alan’s guitar,” Jessie put in. “He said it was custom-made.”

  “And now it’s over there!” Benny said.

  “But who lives here?” Jessie wondered—“Whose house is this?”

  “I don’t know,” Henry said, “but I’ll bet it’s the same person Raymond was talking to on the phone before. Let’s wait and see if someone comes out.” Henry got off his bicycle and set it against a nearby tree. The other Aldens did the same.

  They didn’t have to wait long. A door inside the garage opened, and a tall figure stepped out from inside the house.

  “Oh, my!” Violet said. “That’s—”

  “Danny Duellman!” Jessie finished. “I remember seeing his face on some of those posters!”

  Henry was nodding slowly. “Of course—it all makes perfect sense. If the Greenfield Four couldn’t play tomorrow night, then Danny and the Duotones would take their place.”

  “And his band would get to play in front of the man from the record company!” Jessie added.

  “So Danny Duellman robbed the Greenfield Four?” Violet asked, stunned.

  Danny Duellman didn’t notice the Aldens standing out on the sidewalk. He went over to Alan’s guitar, lifted it gently off its stand, and set it carefully into a case. He then closed the case and locked it. Was he trying to hide it? Jessie wondered.

  “Excuse me,” Henry said.

  Danny turned quickly; he wasn’t expecting anyone to be there.

  “We’re friends of the Greenfield Four,” Jessie said, taking a deep breath, “and we’d like to ask you a question about that guitar.” At that moment, the door leading into the house opened again, and the children looked up. Is Raymond here? Jessie thought. But it wasn’t Raymond. It was Alan Keller.

  What was the leader of the Greenfield Four doing here?

  Alan seemed as surprised as they were.

  “Why, it’s the Aldens,” he said. “Have you met my friend Danny Duellman?”

  The Aldens couldn’t believe their ears—Danny was Alan’s friend?

  Danny walked over to them with his hand out. “It’s very nice to meet all of you. I’m the lead singer for Danny and the Duotones.” Then he made sure to add, “Maybe you’ve heard of us?”

  Still shocked, Jessie managed to say, “Uh, sure. We’ve heard of you.”

  “Well, that’s good news,” Danny went on. “And what were you about to ask me?”

  “That guitar you just put away,” Jessie began, suddenly feeling much less certain of the situation. “Isn’t that … Alan, isn’t that your guitar?”

  Violet added, “We thought we saw it at the rehearsal studio yesterday. You were playing it.”

  “Playing it?” Alan said. “No, I wasn’t play—oh, wait a minute.” He could see that the Aldens needed an explanation. “That guitar looks like one of a kind,” he began, and the children nodded. “But really, there are two. I have one, and Danny has the other. We had them both painted by an artist friend a few years ago.”

  “Ohhhh,” the Aldens said altogether.

  “There are no others like them in the world,” Danny added.

  “But aren’t you two … rivals?” Jessie asked.

  “Sure,” Alan said. “Rivals, but not enemies. Actually, the fact that we’re both trying to get the same things is what makes us so good. It makes us try harder.”

  “That’s right,” Danny continued. “I always try to be better than Alan, and he tries to be better than me. We’ve been doing this for years. See?” He pointed to some framed pictures that were hanging on the wall. They were more old flyers from when both bands played years ago. The children also couldn’t help noticing that some of them said “The Greenfield Five” and even “The Greenfield Six.”

  “You used to have more people in your group?” Jessie asked Alan.

  “Yes. We’ve had many people come and go,” Alan replied. “Same with Danny.”

  Danny sighed. “It’s hard to find good musicians who all play well together, but sooner or later you do. That’s why Alan’s band is going to become world-famous before mine. He’s found that magical mix of people. I’m still waiting for that to happen.”

  Alan smiled. “One day it’ll happen, Danny. I promise. And I can’t thank you enough for your help.” He turned to the Aldens. “Danny is loaning me this guitar,” he explained. “We hope the Greenfield Four can still play tomorrow night, if we borrow enough instruments.”

  “What if you can’t?” asked Benny.

  “Then my band will play in their place,” Danny said. “But I’d hate for that to happen. Everyone at the festival wants to see the Greenfield Four tomorrow.” He looked thoughtful. “I guess it would be a lucky break if I played. But if the Duotones ever make it big, it shouldn’t be just because we’re lucky. It ought to be because we’re talented and work hard, just like Alan and his band.”

  The Aldens could see that Danny was a good friend to Alan.

  Danny went on. “Today we’re calling every musician in town to see if they can help out the Greenfield Four. Raymond, our roadie, is on the phone right now. He works for the Duotones, the Greenfield Four, and other bands, so he knows plenty of people.”

  The children exchanged looks with each other. Now they knew why Raymond had come here—he worked for Danny’s band, too. Just then, Raymond came into the garage holding a cordless phone.

  “I just heard a band over in Silver City has a spare bass guitar,” he told Danny and Alan. “I’ll call them next.”

  “Can we help?” Jessie asked.

  “I heard you’re already helping out,” Raymond said. “Alan told me you’re looking for clues about the thief.”

  “We sure are!” said Benny.

  “We wanted to ask you about the security alarm at the rehearsal studio, actually,” said Henry. “Does anyone else besides you and the band have the code number?”

  “No,” Raymond replied. “I know for a fact that only the five of us have the code. There was an old code, but I changed it to 463534—GNFLD4—just to be safe. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how someone got in.”

  “So have we,” said Henry. Jessie, Violet, and Benny nodded.

  CHAPTER 5

  A Clue and a Keyboard

  “I’m glad Raymond isn’t the thief,” said Violet. �
��Or Danny Duellman.”

  Jessie agreed. “And it’s nice that they’re both helping out the Greenfield Four.”

  The girls were at the rehearsal studio unpacking bags of sandwiches. Henry was opening up the soda, and Benny was counting napkins. The children didn’t have any new clues, but they still wanted to be helpful, so they decided to bring lunch to the band.

  “Still, we’re right back where we started with this mystery,” Henry said.

  “Don’t feel bad,” Karen said. She was sitting nearby, with a guitar on her lap. She’d borrowed it from a friend and was trying to tune it. “You tried your best. The police aren’t having any luck, either.”

  Dave, the drummer, was also there. “We’ll have to do the best we can with all this borrowed stuff,” Dave grumbled. “I’m glad I could find another set of cymbals, but I think I could get a better sound out of a bunch of garbage-can lids.” He tapped them a few times with a drumstick and frowned.

  Karen said, “He’s right—we’ll just have to work with what we’ve got and hope everything sounds okay.” She strummed the borrowed guitar again and sighed. “This doesn’t sound right. I need to go to Lessenger’s to buy some new strings.”

  When Karen mentioned the music store, Jessie sat up straight in her chair.

  “I just remembered! This morning, after Benny and I helped Mr. Lessenger set up the Instrument Petting Zoo, I noticed something,” she said. “I’m not sure if it’s a clue or not, but it was certainly odd. You know that boy Tim who works there?”

  “He has dark messy hair, right?” Henry asked. “Sort of quiet?”

  “That’s him!” said Benny.

  “Well, after we finished setting up the tent, Tim told Mr. Lessenger he was going right back to the store,” Jessie went on. “But he didn’t do that.” She told the others how she had spotted him talking to a girl with a long ponytail at the festival grounds.

  “Maybe that was his girlfriend,” Violet suggested.

  “I don’t think so,” said Jessie. “They shook hands, as if they didn’t know each other. And then he kept looking around, as if he wanted to make sure no one was watching.”